A conference for everyone – Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association

23 electric cooperatives attended four separate conferences in three different cities all in one month. Needless to say, April was a busy month for Tennessee’s electric co-ops. The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association hosted four conferences within four weeks in an effort to bring likeminded workers in the same room to network, learn and grow together.

The Administrative Professionals and Human Resources Conference and Employment Law Workshop was held in Florence, Alabama, on April 2 through April 4. Attendees met at the Renaissance Shoals Resort and Spa for three days of networking and learning. Wednesday was spent diving into employment law. On Thursday, the group learned how to be aware and respond to active shooter threats, how to not panic during presentations and how to best use TECA’s website. Friday the group received an update on both Homestead Funds and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s retirement plans. The meeting concluded with tips and tricks on how to balance work and life.

“The Administrative and HR Conference is always a great time to meet with others who all do similar tasks at the office,” said Tina Smith, TECA’s executive assistant. “I always find the three days a great time to reset and learn from fellow co-ops how we can do what we do better and more efficiently.”

Co-op leaders and employees gathered at TECA’s home office in Nashville for the IT & Cybersecurity Conference on April 16 and April 17. For the second year of the meeting, participants were able to not only learn from one another but also experts in the industry from Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, NRECA, Central Service Association, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Tennessee Valley Authority. Topics of discussion included cyber insurance, cybersecurity risks, resources and opportunities and protecting OT environment for SCADA. It was TECA’s digital media manager, Joel Norris’, first time attending and helping put together the conference and he had nothing but positive reflections.

“It was great finally putting faces to names, and getting to hear straight from the NRECA on their TAC platform was a real highlight,” Norris said. “All the presenters brought their A game, and the variety kept things interesting. Just a solid, all-around good time.”

Co-op communicators traveled to Pigeon Forge for the annual TennComm Conference on April 22 through April 25. Those in attendance were able to participate in preconference networking opportunities including golf at Island Pointe Golf Club in Kodak, a photo safari with award-winning photographer and former The Tennessee Magazine editor, Robin Conover, and duckpin bowling at the Lodge at Camp Margaritaville. Conference sessions began on Wednesday with presentations over how electric co-ops are still relevant in 2025 and some techniques to bringing the best to work every day. On Thursday, communicators learned lessons in co-op governance and transparency, heard from panels about the future of youth programs and members’ perception of the co-op and updates from The Tennessee Magazine and TECA’s government affairs team. The day concluded with breakout sessions over Canva, A.I. and TVA’s EnergyRight Programs. Friday the meeting wrapped up with tips on how to elevate a co-op’s web presence, strategies to maximize productivity through time management and storytelling in the digital age with none other than Matt Mitchell. Mitchell is the star of a viral video series that has over 2 billion views on Facebook and YouTube.

“The 2025 TennComm Conference was an opportunity to strengthen skills, build connections and reaffirm the critical role of communication in our industry,” said Trent Scott, TECA’s vice president of communications. “We are grateful to our speakers for sharing their thoughts, to the planning committee for their hard work behind the scenes and to every attendee who took the time to invest in themselves and their co-op.”

Also in Pigeon Forge, co-op finance specialists met at the same time for their Accounting Conference on April 24 and April 25. Attendees gathered at the Courtyard Pigeon Forge for networking opportunities and continuing education credits. The agenda included updates from TECA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Ryan King, TECA’s CEO, Mike Knotts, National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, CoBank, TVA and NRECA. Presentations were also given over cybersecurity and A.I. concerns, strategic reorganization for finance departments, utility risk management and employee retention truths.

“Here at TECA, we are proud to help accountants not only continue their education but also be the most up to date on everything across the industry,” said Kayla Gladden, TECA’s director of finance and administration. “This year the conference allowed us to do just that while also learning from others about their workflow and success.”

TECA hopes all co-op leaders and employees will make plans to attend these meetings in the years to come and the team looks forward to another busy month in June with Summer Managers Conference and Board Meeting, Washington Youth Tour and 4-H Electric Camp.